Weekly Update: September 30, 2016 — 27 Elul 5776

The passing of Shimon Peres, alav hashalom, has been the powerfully reflective accompaniment to the closing of the Year 5776. He was one of the pre-eminent exemplars of that remarkable generation born in the first years of the last century that dared to divert the course of history from darkness and despair, resignation and defeat to hope and promise, endeavor and fulfillment.

In one of his last public addresses, some two months ago in July, when he laid the cornerstone for the Israeli Innovation Center, eventually to become part of the Peres Peace House in Jaffa, he said: “All my life I have worked to ensure that Israel’s future is based on science and technology as well as on an unwavering moral commitment. They called me a dreamer. But today, when I look at Israel, we all can see clearly that the greater the dream, the more spectacular the results.”

Whether subconsciously or deliberately, Peres was channeling the famous inspirational axiom by Theodore Herzl “If you will it, it won’t simply be a fairy tale.” Peres, like so many of his generation, was captivated by the daring and boldness of Herzl’s challenge. It propelled the arc of his life, essentially entirely in service of the Jewish people and the Jewish state.

We can all agree that the Peres “addendum” to Herzl’s guiding truth is a meaningful, artful propulsion for our own efforts to make our world the very best it can be.

And of course, it also applies to GAJE’s mission.

The greater our dream – affordable Jewish education for the entire community – the more spectacular will be the eventual results. Amen.

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May the coming Year 5777 bring us closer to achieving our dream. How spectacular indeed, that would be!